Clock



P. R. AYRl-:s

May 25, 193 7.

CLOCK Filed Aug. 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l P. R. vAYRES May 25, 1937.

CLOCK Filed Aug. 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. fe R'dzyres Pe); n

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 25, 1937 UNITED STATES CLOCK Pennie R. Ayres, Roanoke, Va.

Application August 18, 1933.

6 Claims.

This invention relates to clocks, particularly to chiming mechanism therefor and the objects of the invention are:

To provide a chiming mechanism which shall be simple and cheap to construct, composed of very few parts, and which is readily adaptable to assembly in quantity production without the necessity of delicate hand adjustment of any of the parts.

It is also an object to provide a chiming mechanism particularly adapted to synchronous motor electric clocks and to provide a novel control means for taking power from the synchronous motor to drive the chiming mechanism.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein y Fig. l is a rear view of a clock movement constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the clock;

Fig. 3is a cross sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line Ill-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing details of the clock;

. .Fig '7 is a top view of a portion oi the clock mechanism; and

Fi'g. 8 is a diagramillustrating the layout of certain parts of the mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a front view of a clock constructed according to the present invention and on which the dial and hands are not shown for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the tripping mechanism.

40 Fig. l1 is a top view partly in section of the power takeoff control mechanism,

Fig. 12 is a cross section through the central hand arbors of the clock.

Fig. 13 is a partial detail view of parts of the invention forming a unitary assembly, the View being taken from the back.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing the mechanism attached to the hour wheel.

Fig. 15 is a detail view showing a part of the -U invention which is attached to the hour wheel of the clock.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the power takeoff control mechanism.

In constructing a chiming mechanism particularly adapted for' a .synchronous motor electric Serial No. 685,776

clock it is desirable to provide a simple and yet reliable construction. The chiming mechanisms w ich have so far appeared on the market embodied in synchronous motor electric clocks have been largely patterned after the known types of spring driven chiming mechanisms and include a complete gear train for driving the chiming mechanism. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a chiming mechanism which is driven from the time train of a clock and in which simple but reliable means are provided for controlling the driving of the chiming mechanism from the time train of a synchronous motor clock. In distinction from other clocks in which the chiming mechanism is driven from the synchronous motor through clutches or shiftable gears the present device provides a constantly rotating member driven by the synchronous motor and which is adapted to engage a toothed wheel, and connection between the rotary member and the wheel is established by moving one or more segments of the wheel into and out of the path of the rotary member.

The preferred form of the invention also embraces a novel mechanism for determining the number of strokes at any chiming period, which is considerably simpler and more reliable than the usual count wheel employed for this purpose. There is provided as an integral part of the hammer actuating drum a counting track which is adapted to move through two full revolutions before completing a single cycle of chiming and which has incorporated therewith means for restoring the chime to synchronism with the hands should they ever get out of synchronism.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a clock move-ment Z, which is preferably of the usual synchronous motor type such as is used for electric clocks which are provided with chiming mechanisms. The minute arbor 4 of the clock movement carries rigidly therewith behind the front plate 6 a lifting cam 3. The lifting cam 8 has four teeth or projections corresponding to the four quarters of the hour. One of these projections lil is somewhat longer than the other three, for a purpose later to be described. A lift lever assembly comprising a pivoted shaft l2 having rigidly secured thereto an arm I4 and a two-arm lever IB is adapted to be actuated by the lift cam 8 through the medium of a pawl i8 pivoted at 2li and spring-pressed by means of the spring 22 against a stop pin 24. The arm I4 lies just to the rear of the front plate 6 and adjacent to the plane of the lift cam 8, while the two-arm lever I6 lies to the rear of the rear plate 2G. The two-arm lever I6, shown in perspective in Fig. 6, has an outturned lug 28 located near its hub portion and an oppositely turned lug 30 at about its mid-portion, a flat straight arm 32 at its outermost end and a second outwardly bent arm 34, having a slot 36 in its outwardly bent portion. These parts are preferably formed as an integral member from one piece of sheet metal and may conveniently be formed by die stamping. Extending from the arm 34 is a hooked-shaped stop arm 38 having a portion 40 which is resilient to permitup and down motion of the hook member 38. Pivoted to the lug 28 for free rotation thereon is hub member 42. Slidably mounted in a transverse hole in the hub 42 is a stop slide 44 having a ilat downwardly turned hook 46 at its outer end. A spring 48 surrounding the lifting slide 44 urges it to the left in Fig. 6, its motion being limited by a collar 50 secured thereto. A small pin 52 is rigidly secured to the hub 42 at right angles to the slide 44. A spring 54 secured to the rear side of the front plate 6 urges the entire lift lever assembly clockwise in Fig. l. A spring 56 which is secured to the rear of the rear plate 26 projects under and to the right of the pin 52, but normally lies out of contact therewith. When the lift lever assembly rotates counterclockwise from the position shown in Fig. l the lug 30 engages the spring 56, causing it to press against the pin 52 and urge hub 42 and with it slide 44 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from the top.

An auxiliary front plate 58 and an auxiliary rear plate 00 are secured to the front and rear main plates 2 and 25, respectively, by pillars 62 and screws 84 together with an auxiliary support arm 60 secured to the rear plate 20. A shaft 0B is pivoted in suitable bearing holes in the plates 50 and 60 and carries rigidly secured thereto a unitary drum assembly which constitutes the main operating mechanism of the chiming attachment. This drum assembly comprises a toothed wheel l0 having provision for twenty-live teeth, but having three mutilated portions 12 equivalent to the space occupied by two teeth each, as best shown in Fig. 4. Located on the rear side of the toothed wheel 'l0 are three light sector pieces T4 which are loosely located with respect to the toothed wheel 'l0 by pairs oi pins 16, Tl projecting into elongated holes 18 in toothed wheel 10. On the opposite side of the wheel l0 are three raised track portions 80 corresponding to the spaces between the segments 14 and each having a rounded off end portion 82, as shown in Fig. 4. A Wheel 86 carrying a series of projecting pins 88 is secured to a shaft in the main clock movement and is geared to rotate with the wheels of the motor at such a speed that one of the pins 88 will pass a given point in the interval desired between individual adjacent strokes of the chiming mechanism. The pins 88 lie in the path of the teeth of the wheel 'l0 and also the teeth of the sector members i4 and as each pin 88 passes the wheel 10, it will step the same around a `distance corresponding to one tooth. The sector members 14 are resiliently retained against the wheel l0 by leaf springs 90 secured to a ring 92 which in turn is secured to the hub 04 of the wheel 'l0 by a snap ring Q0, as shown in Fig. 5.

The remainder of the drum assembly secured to shaft G8 comprises a series of hammer operating toothed wheels 98 having their respective teeth so placed as to operate the hammers through a full cycle of chimes in two full revolutions of the drum assembly, as is well known in chiming devices for striking the Westminster chime. A counting track is formed preferably as an integral portion of the toothed wheels 98 and preferably comprises a series of three tracks, |00, 02, |04, the layout of these tracks being illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 8 to be described hereinafter. The toothed wheels 98 in their rotation are adapted to depress the tails |06 of the hammer levers |08 by means of the pins H0, in the well known manner. The hammer levers IGH normally rest on the resilient striking piece H2 secured by means of a bar H4 to the plates 58 and 60. Chime bars H6 are mounted in a support |20 of suitable construction and are located immediately beneath the normal rest position of the hammers, as is well known in the art. An hour lift cam |22 is formed integral with the forward edge oi" the track |00 for initiating operation of an hour striking mechanism of suitable form and is adapted to raise a pin |24 mounted in the end of a lever |25 pivoted to the rear plate 25 at |28 and having a nose |30 adapted to engage behind the heel |32 of an hour strike lift lever |34, forming part of the hour striking mechanism which may be of any well known type, but is preferably of the type shown in my copending application Serial No.

661,350, filed March 1'7, 1933, entitled C10Ck,

and preferably driven oy shaft 05.

The hour strike lift lever |34 carries a pin |36 adjacent to its heel |32 adapted to be engaged by the arm 32 of two-arm lever I6. Secured to the forward auxiliary plate 50 by screws |38 is 2 a bracket |40. A vertical shait |42 is pivoted in the bracket |40 and carries at its upper end a hub |44 rigidly secured thereto. Locsely pivoted to the hub |44 and projecting through an elongated slot |46 therein is a rigidly projecting control arm |48. The control arm |48 is urged in a clockwise direction relative to the hub |44 by a spring |41, At the mid-portion of the shaft |42 there is rigidly secured thereto a stop arm |50 which is adapted to ride on the tracks 80 and on the toothed wheel 'l0 in the space between the ends of the track. Each of the pins 1l is somewhat longer than the thickness of the toothed wheel 10 and normally projects from the front side of the toothed wheel 'l0 in the space between the ends of the tracks 80 and in the path of movement of the arm |50 at certain positions of the toothed wheel l0. The stop slide 44 carries an upstanding pin |52 for coaction with the control lever |48, while the flat nose 46 of the slide 44 is adapted to ride in the tracks |09, |02 and |04. These tracks are laid out as shown in Fig. 8 wherein there is represented diagrammatically a development of the tracks ior two revolutions of the drum assembly, the two halves cf this gure being duplicates of the tracks as they are constructed.

The Westminster chime is made up of forty chime strokes and ten dead beats in its full cycle for chiming all four quarters of the hour. The first-quarter chime requires four chime strokes and one dead beat, or, since two revolutions of the drum produce fifty strokes and dead beats altogether, one-fth of a revolution. The half-hour chime requires eight chime strokes and two dead beats, or two-fifths of a revolution. The three-quarter hour chime requires twevle chime strokes and three dead beats, or threeths ci a revolution, and carries over into the rst fth of the second revolution. The hour strike requires sixteen chime strokes and four dead beats and the remaining four-fths of the second revolution.

The track |00 has at its beginning a stop bar |54 adapted to engage the nose 48 and the slide 44. Proceeding to the right in Fig. 8 the track |00 next has a diagonal throwover portion |56 for shifting the nose 46 over into track |02. One-fifth of a revolution from stop |54 is a stop |58 in track |02. Two-iiiths of a revo lution further on there is another stop |50 in track |02 and in the last fth of a revolution there is a diagonal throwover member |52 for throwing nose 46 into track |04. In the track |04 at the ends of the first fifth of a rotation is another stop member |54 which is higher than the other stops |54, |58 and |60. The series of filled and open circles in Fig. 8 represent diagrammatically the path of the nose 46 along the tracks |00, |02 and |04 for a full chime cycle, the lled circles representing chime strokes and the open circles representing dead beats.

In operation, between chiming periods the vsegment 14, which happens to be adjacent to the pins 08, is pressed out of their path by the lever |50 due to the factV that on the last (dead beat) step of the drum assembly one of the stop members |54, for example, pulls the nose 4E and the stop slide 44 to the right into the position shown in Fig. 1, this movement moving stop lever |48, hub |44, shaft |42 and stop lever |50 counterclockwise when viewed in Fig. 2. As the minute hand approaches the indication of fifteen minutes past the hour, lift cam 8 through one of its shorter projections depresses the lefthand end of arm |4 through pawl I8 and thus turns the lift lever assembly it, 44 counterclockwise in Fig. 1. This in turn lifts the nose 45 of the -slide 44 up out of engagement with the stop |54 in track |00, whereupon spring 48 moves slide 44' quickly tothe left in Fig. 1, so that the nose 46` lies to the left ci stop |54. The counterclockwise rotation of the lift lever assembly also raises the hook member 38 up into engagement with the lefthand edge of control lever |48, so that, although the pin |52 on slide |44 is retracted from control lever |48, the latter cannot move because it is now blocked by the hook member 38. As the minute hand reaches the designation of fifteen minutes after the hour, liftingA cam 8 passes beyond the pawl IS, thus permittingy the lift assembly to rotate clockwise under the urgey of spring 54. This movement drops hook member 38 down out of the path of control lever |4l The leaf spring 00 on the rear of wheel 1G now urges segment 'I4 forward against the toothed wheel 10, which movement rotates stop lever |50` through pin 11, and through shaft |42 rotates control lever |48 clockwise when viewed in Fig. 2.

Upon movement of sector '|4 into engagement with wheel 10 the teeth on sector 14 lie in the path of the pins S8 which are constantly rotated by the clock motor and thus rotate the wheel 10 and sectors '14 in a clockwise direction Step by step in Fig. 1. There being twenty five teeth on the wheel 'l0 and the three sectors 14 altogether and there being required twenty-five chime strokes and dead beats for one revolution of the drum assembly, it will be seen that for each step of rotation of the drum assembly one chime stroke or one dead beat, as the case may7 be, will take place. At the irstquarter there will be four chime strokes and one dead beat, the toothed wheels 98 operating the hammers 08 in proper sequence. After the first stroke the rounded off end 82 of the raised track 30 will come under the lever |50 and hold it in the position to which it was pushed by the spring S0 through the pin ll. During the middle portion of the striking period, the nose 4t engages the throwover portion |56 which throws it into track |02 and in the latter portion of the chiming period the stop member |58 in track |il2 will engage the nose 45 and pull the slide 44 to the right in Fig. 1 against the spring 48. Due to this movement of slide 44 pin |52 will move control lever |48 counterclockwise, but since stop lever |50 still rides on the track hub |44 and shaft |42 will not partake of this movement, slot |40 and spring |41 permitting` this movement of control lever |48 relative to hub |44 at the end of the last step of the chiming period. As wheel 1) is rotated suiiciently so that the end of track passes from under lever ld, the latter immediately under the urge of spring |41 moves inwardly toward wheel 'i0 and through pin pushes the next segment 'i4 out of the path of pins 88. It will be apparent that spring is weaker than spring |47 to permit this movement. As soon as sector 'i4 moves out of the path of pins 88, the drum assembly remains at rest for the next quarter of an hour, during which lift cam 8 gradually moves the lift assembly, in the manner vpreviously described, to release it at the half hour. The chirning actions which take place at the half hour and three-quarter hour are similar to that taking place at the quarter hour with the exception that nose 4G rides in different portions of the tracks |05, |02 and |04, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 8, and that the number and sequence of strokes are, of course, different. At the hour the long projection I0 of the lift cam t engages the pawl it and thus lifts the lift lever assembly higher than at the other chiming periods. Stop |54 in track |04 is higher than the other stops and nose 46 is raised sui ciently high to clear it, as well as to clear dividing walls between the tracks. Since on the high lift at the hour, lug 30 engages spring 55, there will be an urge exerted on the hub 42 through pin 52 to rotate counterclockwise in Fig. 2 and thus the nose 40 moves over into 2 position above the track |023. Should the chiming mechanism get out of synchronism with the hands of the clock, the nose 45 will come to stop |54 at some time before the hour indication by the hands. at successive quarter hours until the hands come to the hour position because the short projections on the lifting cam 8 do not raise the lift lever assembly suiiciently high for nose 46 to clear stop |64. When the hands again indicate the hour, however, nose 46 will be raised by the long projection is on lift cam 8 sufficiently high to clear stop |64, whereupon the hour is chimed and the chiming mechanism is again in synchronism with the hands. On the high lift at the hour, arm 32 engages pin |3t` to raise the liit lever 34 to its full stroke, whereupon the nose |30 moves up to position behind the heel |32 due to the weight of the other end of lever |26. At the end of any hour chime period the hour lift cam 22 raises pin |24 and thus removes the nose |353 from the heel |32 of the lift lever |34 for the hour striking mechanism. This permits the lever |34 to fall and start the hour striking mechanism, in a manner later to be described.

The chime will then fail to operate lil The hour striking mechanism described in my copending application previously referred to is a unitary attachment to the front face of the clock movement and is illustrated in Figs. 9` to 16 inclusive. A bridge member |10 is secured to the front of the plate 2 in spaced relation by means of suitable fastenings |12 and carries iixed thereto a sleeve |14. Mounted on the sleeve |14 for free rotation thereon is a toothed wheel |15. Pivoted on the plate |18 at |18 is a control lever |80 having a hole |82 formed therein for permitting limited oscillation about the pivot |18. 'I'he toothed wheel |16 is mounted on the sleeve |14 by means of a hub member |84 having a flange |80 at its rear end which is spaced from the Wheel |16. Between the flange |88 and the Wheel |16 a spiral spring |88 is located having its inner end fastened to the hub |84 and its outer end secured to a post |90 mounted in the plate |10. The wheel |16 and its hub |84 are secured on the sleeve |14 by suitabl-e fastening means such as the ring |92 pressed on the back end ci' the sleeve |14. Similar means are provided such as the ring |84 for securing the wheel |18 to the hub |84. A spring member |88 is fastened to a post |88 secured to the plate |19 and has its opposite end bearing against the lever |88 to bias its top end to the right in Fig. 9. The plate |18, sleeve |14, wheel |16, control lever |80 and the associated parts just described are adapted to be assembled together as a unit for ready attachment to the remainder of the clock mechanism. The time train ci' the clock inclu-cles the usual dial gears 200, 202, 284 and 286, the latter of which is the hour wheel and is provided with two diametrically opposed longitudinal slots 288. On the front face of the hour wheel 288 there is attached by means of suitable rivets 218 extending into the slots 208 a sliding stop member 212 carrying a boss 2|4 thereon projecting to the front of the plane of the stop slide 2|.'l. One end of the slide has a rounded nose 2 lli adapted to cooperate with a fixed cam 2|8 secured to the main frame plate 6 for the purpose oi' camming the stop slide 2|2 to the loft in Fig. i5 during a certain portion oi the rotation of wheel 285. A spring 220 urges the slide 2 i2 to the right in Fig. 15. The wheel |18 carries on the back face oi its hub iiange |86 a stop pin 222 which spaced from the axis of the wheel |16 a sufficient distance to enable it to meet the flat face of the stop lug 2|4 when the boss 2li and slide 2|2 are moved to the full extent of their movement to the right in Fig. l5, but enabling the pin 222 to pass the boss 2|4 when it lies in the position to the left shown in Fig. l5. The front face of the wheel |18 carries a pin 224 adapted to cooperate with a lug 226 formed on the control lever |80 whereby the wheel |16 when moving counterclcckwise into its position of rest may move the control lever |80 also counterclockwise. The shaft projects through the frame plate 8 and carries a disk 228 which carries on its forward face a series of projections or pins 230. The number and the spacing of the pins 230 are chosen in such correlation with the speed of the rotary member 85 that one pin will pass a given point in about the interval desired between strokes of the striking hammer. A hammer arm 232 is secured to a shaft 234 pivoted in the frame plate S which carries fixed thereto a short lever 23F;` and a light tail lever 238 mounted to permit a limited amount of front and back motion of the tail end of the lever 238. A spring member 240 normally urges the lever 238 up in Fig. 11 into engagement with the pins 238. The top of the lever 238 is formed with a projecting flange 242 which is interrupted by a slot 244 at one portion. A pin 248 is secured in the outer end of the lever 236 and passes through a hole 248 in the lever 238 to prevent rotational movement of the lever 238 on the shaft 234. A bell crank 258 is pivoted at 252 on the trame plate 6 and has a slot 254 formed in one arm to receive a pin 286 secured to the lever 23B for interconnecting the bell crank and the lever 231i. The other arm of the bell crank arm 250 carries a pivoted spring pressed pawl 258 having a pin 280 at its nose adapted to engage the teeth of the wheel |16 for stepping the same back to the position of rest. The control lever |88 carries at its lower end a projecting portion 262 having a beveled cam surface 254 adapted to force the lever 238 out of the path of the pins 230 when the control lever |80 lies in the position shown in Fig. 9 and the lever 838 moves upwardly in Fig. 9. The upper end of the carn surface has a notch 288 formed therein adapted to receive the flange 242 when the lever 238 is in its `fully raised position, as shown in Fig. 9. The tripping means provided for controlling the operation of the mechanism so far described at the hour includes the arm |34 which is formed with a return portion carrying a pin 288 which acts as holding latch for the wheel |19. A pawl 218 is pivotcd at limit the ccunterclockwise rotation of the pawl 219 under the urge of the spring 218. A stop face 218 on the pawl 219 cooperates with the nose 288 on the upper end of the control lever |80 in preventing counterclockwise rotation of the control lever ||8 when the arm 534 is in the raised position.

In the operation oi the hour striking mechanisni, it will be seen that the wheel |15 is normaliy held in the starting position, as shown in Fig. 9, by the pin 2.88 on arm |34, the spring |88 being fully wound when the wheel |16 is in this position. The pin 224 on wheel |18 holds the control lever |88 in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 9, in which it is moved to the limit of its motion in a counterclockwise direction against a suitable stop, not shown, and in which the projecting portion 262 at the bottom of the control lever |88 lies in contact with the flange 242 on the lever 238 at the notch 288. When the minute hand next passes through the hour position thc long nose I0 on the cam 8 raises the arm |34 sufiiciently to permit the pin 268 to clear all of the teeth on the wheel |15, while at the same time the stop face 218 of the pawl 218 moves up into cooperation with the lug 280 at the top of control lever |80. This permits the wheel |16 to rotate clockwise under the urge of the spring |88. The amount of this rotation is limited by the stop pin 222 which is mounted on the rear face of flange |84 as it comes into contact with the flat face of the boss 2|4 on the stop slide 2|?, at all times except when the stop slide is cammed to the left in Fig. l5 by cani 218. It will then be seen that the amount of rotation oi the wheel |18 is determined by the position of the heur wheel 286 since the position of the boss 2M determines the point at which the stop pin 222 will stop further rotation of the wheel |18. As the lever |34 drops upon completion of the chime cycle the stop face 218 falls from the path oi the lug 288 and permits the spring l 96 to move the control lever |80 clockwise against a stop, not shown, inasmuch as the pin 224 is now out of the way of the lug 226 due to the initial rotation of the 2 lf2 to the arm |34 and has a pin 214 adapted to 5 vil) wheel |16. The clockwise movement of the lever |80 moves the projection 262 of the lever off from the iiange 242 and opposite the slot 244 so that the lever 238 is now permitted to move inwardh7 into the path of the pins 23D under the urge of the spring 240. Inasmuch as the rotary member 228 is constantly driven by the synchronous motor the pins 230 will each depress the lever 238 until they pass ofi from the end of the same, as shown in Fig. 16, with the consequent oscillation of the shaft 234 and hammer lever 282, thus causing the hammer to strike a sounding element 28?.. At each oscillation of the lever 238 the bell crank 250 is also oscillated simultaneously therewith through the pin 256 and slot 254. This causes the pawl 258 and pin 25d to step the wheel |15 in a counterclockwise direction, one step for each stroke of the hammer. Inasmuch as there are twelve teeth on, the wheel |18 it will be seen that the number of strokes will be equal to the numeral of the hour at which the hour hand stands at each operation of the mechanism. At the last stroke of the hammer for any hour as the wheel moves into its position of rest, the pin 224 moves the control lever |80 counterclockwise in Fig. 9. Inasmuch as arm |34 will be raised due to passing over a tooth of wheel |15 at the time, the pivoted pawl 210 will permit the lug 280 to move to the left over the nose of the pawl 210 and when it has passed over the same will return to the position illustrated under the urge of the spring 218. It will also be noted that at the time the control lever |80 moves into its normal position the arm 238 will be at the bottom of its stroke and will not be cammed out of the path of the pins 23e until the arm 238 is released from the pin 230 and is thus raised under the urge of the spring 290. At twelve oclock the boss 2|4 would come into the position occupied by the pin 222. At this time, however, the cam 298 moves the slide 2|2 and boss 254 to the left in Fig. l5. thus removing the boss 2|4 from the path of the stop pin 222. When the wheel l'iii is released at twelve oclock the rotation of the same is limited, not by the stop pin 222 and boss 2 i4, but by the pin 224, which, after the wheel 16 has made nearly a complete revolution, comes in contact with the opposite face of the lug 226, thus limiting the rotation of the wheel |10 to nearly one revolution. At the time the arm l drops, the lever |80 rotates clockwise a small amount, as previously described, and this permits a slight further rotation of the wheel |18, thus allowing for a complete revolution of the wheel 16 at twelve oclock.

It will be noted that if at any time between striking periods an attempt should be made to manually lift the hammer 232, the flange 242 will engage the bottom face of the notch 260 and prevent sufiicient motion of the hammer and related parts to permit engagement of the lever 238 with pins 230. This is to prevent accidental stoppage or other interference with the synchronous motor by lifting the hammer. If desired the hammer lever 232 may be arranged to lift one or more of the chime hammers |08 and the sounding device 202 may then be omitted.

It will thus be seen that applicant has provided a chiming mechanism which can be constructed in the form of an attachment to be used with the standard movement ordinarily used for non-striking or non-chiming clocks and that when an hour striking mechanism, such as that disclosed in applicants copending application, is used, it is possible for a manufacturer of clocks to produce one standard type of main clock movement which can be used alone in clocks-not having striking or chiming attachments. The striking attachment of applicants copending application can be used with the same movement for clocks which strike the hour. The chiming attachment of the present invention can be applied to the same standard type movement in conjunction with the striking attachment of the copending application for clocks intended to chime the quarters as well as strike the hours. This avoids the necessity of assembling three diiferent types of main clock movement to correspond with the three types of clocks ordinarily sold. It should also be noted that applicants mechanism has no parts requiring particularly sensitive adjustment and that the main operating mechanism for the chiming attachment is one integral unit of mech- In addition, the meansvwhich applicant has disclosed for engaging and disengaging the main chime operating mechanism with the clock motor train requires but very little force to operate, inasmuch as the only member which is moved to connect and disconnect these parts is the very light segment 14 which can be shifted with great ease by the lifting assembly and control lever at all times, even after long periods of usage during which the lubricant in the clock may become gummy or may disappear.

It will be noted that this device provides for maintaining proper operation of the chiming mechanism even after abnormal conditions. The hands may be set forward rapidly and the mechanism will restore the chime to synchronism thereafter by means of the high stop |64 and the long projection I0, as described. If the hands are set backwards, the pawl I8 will permit such motion Without actuating the lift lever assembly and thereafter the chime will automatically synchronize itself with the hands in the same manner. The device is also readily adapted to economical quantity production since most of the parts can be made by die stamping or die casting. In this connection it may be noted that the unitary chime operating means may be made as a single die casting including the hammer actuating portion 98, the counting portion |00, |02, |04 and the driving portion 10. When made by die casting it is preferable to plate the device with a hard metal, such as chromium, to reduce the wear on the working surfaces.

While the invention has been described as applied to a combined hour striking and quarter chiming clock, it will be understood that many advantages thereof are to be derived from its use with other types of clocks wherein a load of some character is to be intermittently driven at various times. The use of the terms chime, strike, hammer etc. in this specification and in the appended claims is illustrative only and therefore comprehensive of such other constructions and is not to be construed in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In an electric chiming clock including an electric motor, a time train driven by said motor and a hand arbor driven by said time train, the combination of a rotary stroke determining member, a rotary member continuously driven by the motor, a projection on one of said members movable relative to said one member into and out of the path of the other member, and control means for moving said projection, for causing the rotary member to drive the stroke determining member by different predetermined amounts at different predetermined times.

2. In an electric chiming clock, the combination of a unitary electric clock movement having a synchronous motor and a time train, an hour striking mechanism comprising a unitary attachment to the movement on the front side thereof and a quarter claiming mechanism comprising a separate unitary attachment to the movement at another side thereof, and means for actuating both attachments from the synchronous motor, said last means including a single shaft constantly driven by the synchronous motor.

3. In an electric chiming clock, the combination of a unitary electric clock movement `having a synchronous motor and a time train, an hour striking mechanism comprising a unitary at* tachment to the movement on one side thereof and a quarter chiming mechanism comprising a separate unitary attachment to the movement on another side thereof, and means for actuating both attachments from the synchronous motor, said last means including a single shaft constantly driven by the synchronous motor.

4. In an electric chiming clock, the combination of an electric motor, a plurality of chime hammers and a unitary rotary chime actuating device comprising a plurality of hammer actuating portions arranged in the general vform of a cylinder, a separate counting portion, and a selective driving portion, said portions being secured together to rotate as a single unit.

5. A counting device for a chime clock having a rotary hammer actuating member, said counting device including a rotary member movable through more than one revolution for a complete chime cycle, and a series of stops on said member arranged in a path extending for more than one revolution around the member.

6. As an article of manufacture, a unitary chime actuating device comprising a plurality of hammer actuating portions arranged in the general form of a cylinder, a separate counting portion, and a selective driving portion all mounted for simultaneous rotation about a single axis and comprising a single die casting.

PENNIE R. AYRES. 

